Unsung Standouts to Watch in Upcoming Class 5 and 6 Quarterfinals

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Final Four berths will be on the line on Friday with the state quarterfinals games on tap. Here is a look at a group of players on Class 5 and 6 teams who are unsung standouts and very important to their team's success.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='994770' first='Riha' last='Obinegbo'] (MICDS): The 5'7" 2028 guard has done an excellent job in becoming that second scoring option in support of All-State standout [player_tooltip player_id='750683' first='Jordyn' last='Haywood'] in recent games. She averaged 16 points a game in helping the Rams to a Class 5, District 3 championship. She had 16 points against Whitfield in the semifinals and 15 points in the championship game against University City. You could see during the summer how she was starting to develop confidence in her offensive ability. She is fearless on the drive and she can get a bucket from all three levels. For the season, she is averaging 11 points a game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rian Lenox (Lift for Life): The Hawks are still in the mix for a state championship three-peat despite losing the stellar guard duo of Amaya and [player_tooltip player_id='803071' first='Cara' last='Manuel'] to injuries this season. One of the big reasons why is the emergence of this 5'10" 2027 forward as a consistent inside force. She is among the top rebounders in the state at 11 per game. Her strength and tenacity make her an elite board-lady. She had 20 rebounds in a victory over John Burroughs and 18 in a game against Summit. She has also picked up her scoring as she averaged 10.5 points a game. She is a reliable finisher inside and she can also drive the ball from the high post.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1231689' first='Aniyah' last='Doig'] (Kickapoo): This 5'6" 2027 forward is the epitome of the saying, "It's not how big you are, but how big you play." She is an excellent all-purpose player who can impact the game just about anywhere on the floor. She has the strength and tenacity to handle herself inside against much taller players. She can also handle the ball and make plays off the dribble as she is the height of a guard. It's fun watching her play because you cannot really label her to one position. She just goes out and plays wherever you put her.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1124563' first='Alex' last='Keister'] (Lee's Summit West): A 5'9" 2026 guard who has been a major factor in the Titans winning a district championship. She is a very talented point guard who can handle and shoot the basketball. When All-State point guard [player_tooltip player_id='855104' first='Antil' last='Snoddy'] transferred over to West, Keister moved over to the shooting guard role, which she was able to do comfortably. She is a 41 percent shooting from long distance as she hit 52 3-pointers. I watched her hit five 3-pointers in a victory over Class 3 Final Four participant Principia earlier this season. She is averaging 10 points, four rebounds and two assists a game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1243096' first='Ann' last='Volmert'] (Rock Bridge): The Lady Bruins have one of the state's best front-lines with Division players [player_tooltip player_id='351752' first='Jayda' last='Porter'] and [player_tooltip player_id='803056' first='Simone' last='Walker'] along with some other impressive players with size. Making sure they get the ball while also playing some solid defense is Volmert, a 5'5" 2027 point guard with good speed and quickness. She is also a capable scorer as she averaged 14 points in the district tournament. She can hit the open 3-pointer and she can excel in the open court. She can also be disruptive on defense with her quickness and ball hawking.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Reminyss Grant (Staley): The Falcons starting lineup is full of Division I basketball talent. One player who has found her niche in the lineup is Grant, a 5'6" 2027 guard who has good speed and quickness to impact play at both ends of the court. She can get downhill on the drive and she can also hit the open 3-pointer. She is having a solid junior season and she is poised to have a breakout season next year as a senior.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tilly Greenfield (Marshfield): A 5'7" 2026 guard who has been a big part of the BlueJays success as she can do a little bit of everything to help her team. She has good anticipation and defensive instincts to get steals and be disruptive. She is a solid ball handler who also hustles for rebounds and loose balls. She will also hit a 3-pointer if she is left open. She can stuff a stat-sheet without having to score a lot of points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->